12 Days of Christmas
by Silvery Mist
Summary: A snapshot of 12 moments in Roy's life through the eyes of Madame Christmas. Chapter 11: Starting Over. Roy, Chris, and Riza discuss the future of Amestris.
1. Day 1: Baby Roy

_**A/N:** Alright. I'm quite aware that Christmas was 2 months ago; however, this is not a Christmas fic. I'm just using the song title as a basis for this story or rather, collection of stories. I did originally plan on posting it at Christmas but, as you can plainly see, it didn't happen. Anyway, please enjoy this and let me know what you think in the comments. Thanks!_

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><p><strong><span>Baby Roy:<span>  
><strong>

"Brother!" screamed Chris when the door opened in front of her. "It's been a while!"

"It sure has," laughed Jeremy while he gave her a big hug. "I only wish you were here to see me."

"Pfft…" she said as she handed him her purse and coat. "I've seen you way too much growing up. Now where's my nephew?"

"They're upstairs in the nursery."

Chris leapt up the stairs, leaving her brother behind. She could hear humming as she climbed the stairs to the second floor. Following the sound, she made her way to the nursery where she found her sister-in-law, Angela, sitting in a rocking chair by the window. In her arms was a pale blue bundle that she knew instantly was her newborn nephew.

"Hello Chris," said Angela, looking up at her.

"Good morning, Angela," said Chris, kissing her sister-in-law on the cheek. "You look great." Angela smiled.

"You're just saying that to make me feel better. I'm exhausted."

"You did just push something the size of a melon out of you. Kinda can't blame you for that."

Angela laughed quietly before turning her attention back to her son. Chris peered down into the bundle of blankets and almost squealed when she saw her sleeping nephew. He was absolutely adorable with a head full of dark hair and the roundest, chubbiest cheeks she had ever seen.

"He's so cute," she breathed.

"Do you want to hold him?"

"May I?" she asked in surprise as Angela handed the bundle to her. Chris carefully took the baby into her arms. The infant shifted a little in her arms before opening his eyes and looking up at her with his dark eyes. "Hi there, little man," she cooed. "I'm your Auntie Chris." The baby stared at her for a second longer before letting out a little yawn and going back to sleep.

_He's so precious…_

"Have you decided on a name for him?" she asked, looking up at her brother and sister-in-law.

"Roy," said Angela proudly.

"Short for 'Royal' because he's going to become Fuhrer one day," joked Jeremy.

Angela gently hit her husband. "Our son's barely two weeks old and you're already setting him up for failure?"

"Hey! You know the saying that if you want to reach for the moon you have to shoot for the stars?"

Chris just smiled and looked back at the sleeping baby in her arms. "I think Roy is a great name. Roy Mustang. Has a nice ring to it." She carefully handed little Roy back to his mom. "I'm also glad to see he's inherited his mom's looks and not his dad's. God forbid he grows up with that ugly nose," she joked.

"Hey! Like you should talk! You have the same nose! You just hide it under all that heavy makeup!"

"You wish. Mine's nowhere near as big."

Jeremy opened his mouth to retort but a piercing wail echoed through the room.

"Hush you two! You startled the baby," Angela scolded as she tried to calm the crying infant. She began humming a soothing lullaby while she rocked back and forth. Soon, the crying eventually faded into a barely audible whimper. Chris watched as Angela gently kissed baby Roy on the top of his head before placing him in the bassinet next to her. Looking back at her husband, she whispered. "I guess I better go get lunch ready."

"I'll do it," Chris quickly offered. "You should be resting."

"You sure?" asked Angela, a mixture of surprise and apprehension in her voice.

Chris waved her off. "I don't mind. Besides, taking care of a newborn is exhausting work. You two should take a nap or do something relaxing. I'll wake you when lunch is ready."

Angela smiled. "Alright then. Thank you."

"You're welcome." Chris turned and quickly made her way out of the room. When she reached the stairs, she paused and turned back to ask something but stopped when she saw the peaceful scene in front of her. Angela and Jeremy were both sitting on either side of the bassinet looking lovingly down at their sleeping baby. A stream of sunlight was coming in through the open window, bathing them all with a warm glow. Chris couldn't help but smile at the happy family.

_They love each other so much,_ she thought as she walked away. _And now they have a beautiful baby too._ Seeing her brother like that made her suddenly wish that she too had a loving family just like him.

_Who knows…maybe I'll settle down one day too, _she thought as she quietly made her way to the kitchen.


	2. Day 2: Tragedy

**Tragedy:**

Chris looked up at the clock while she poured whiskey for a group of patrons. It was quarter past nine and Jeremy still hadn't called her. He had promised that he would call as soon as he and his family arrived in East City and she knew their train had arrived over an hour ago.

_Why hasn't he called yet? Did he lose my number? _

"You keep looking up at the clock," noted the man sitting next to her. "You waiting for a favorite customer to show up or something?"

She forced a smile. "I believe he already came and is sitting right here having a drink with me," she flirted. The man grinned. She glanced down at his drink and noticed it was almost empty. "Would you like more wine, sir?" she asked.

"Certainly," he answered, still grinning. She grabbed the bottle of wine in front of her and carefully filled his glass while another girl entertained him. While she placed the bottle back on the table she snuck another glance at the clock. Three more hours till her shift was over. Afterwards, she was free for the next few days to spend time with her brother and his family. It had been over a year since she last saw them and she was especially excited to see her seven-year-old nephew. Little Roy was growing up to be such a smart and handsome boy and was the family's pride and joy.

"Chris! Phone!" shouted Madame Viola suddenly.

_Finally! _Chris quickly excused herself from the group. Rushing over to the back room, she took the phone from Madame Viola and held it up to her ear. "I was starting to wonder when you would call," she said into the phone. However, instead of Jeremy's familiar voice she heard a female voice on the line.

"Miss Mustang, this is Officer Johnson from military police."

Chris froze. "W-What can I do for you, officer?" she asked nervously.

"There was a hit and run," she told her. "A family was hit by a car and you were the only family member we could find. We need you to come to East City General Hospital immediately."

Chris stood there, stunned. "Where? Are they OK?" she demanded.

"Please come to the hospital, Ma'am," replied the officer before she hung up. Chris hung up and stood there, trying to process the information before quickly spinning around.

Madame Viola was standing by the door behind her.

"What happened?" she asked in a concerned motherly tone. Chris bit her lip.

"There's been an accident," she told her. "They're asking me to go to the hospital…"

Madame Viola nodded in understanding. "Go then," she said. I'll have Martha cover for you."

Chris quickly thanked her before running upstairs to get her things. Then she hurriedly ran back downstairs and out the door onto the streets. "Taxi!" she called out, raising her hand. A car screeched to a halt in front of her. She quickly got in.

"Where to Miss?" asked the driver.

"East City General Hospital. And step on it!"

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><p>The hospital waiting room was full of people but Chris barely noticed them while she rushed to the front desk.<p>

"Excuse me. My name is Chris Mustang," she said breathlessly to the nurse managing the desk. "The officer on the phone told me that my brother and his family were admitted here. Their names are Jeremy, Angela and Roy Mustang."

The nurse looked through her chart and pursed her lips. "Please wait here, Ma'am. I'll let the doctor know you're here."

"But…" began Chris but the nurse disappeared before she could get anything more out of her. Sighing, she began restlessly pacing the hallway. A feeling of dread was building up inside her. _Please let them be okay_, she silently prayed over and over.

"Miss Mustang?" asked a voice suddenly.

She spun around. A man in hospital scrubs was standing in front of her. "Yes, that's me," she answered, her voice slightly shaking.

"I'm Dr. Robinson," the man introduced himself. She noticed he looked tired and somber "I'm afraid I have bad news," he continued. "As you probably already know, your family was hit by a drunk driver while crossing the street. The woman was killed instantly while her husband is in critical condition. He suffered severe head trauma and is in a coma. We're doing the best we can but I'll be honest with you, the outlook is not good." He paused for a moment to take a deep breath. "I'm very sorry."

Chris could feel her world crashing down around her. This couldn't be happening. It had to be all a dream. She could feel herself becoming a little faint.

"You need to sit down," Dr. Robinson told her, grabbing her arm to prevent her from falling. He quickly called a nurse over.

"No…I'm ok," she mumbled. Leaning against the wall to steady herself, she asked, "What about their son? My nephew?" Dr. Robinson and the nurse looked at each other. _Oh God. Please not Roy too…_ Chris mentally pleaded. She braced herself for what the doctor was going to say next but a childish voice suddenly called out to her.

"Auntie Chris!"

Chris quickly spun around and saw Roy running up to her. Following close behind him was a female police officer.

_Oh thank God!_

Chris quickly knelt down and Roy ran into her arms. She hugged the child tightly.

"Mom…and Dad…they're hurt," Roy mumbled into her neck. "A car was speeding towards us and Dad pushed me away…" He broke into a loud sob. Chris could feel her heart breaking again as he recounted what exactly happened.

"There, there," she told him, holding the little boy even more tightly. "Everything's going to be all right. You're with me now." Blinking away tears, she reassured herself, "everything's going to be all right."


	3. Day 3: A Stranger's Offer

**A Stranger's Offer:**

Chris watched the drunken crowd with a frown on her face. Madam Viola was ill with the flu, which meant she was responsible for managing the bar that night. As she carefully poured out several drinks, she kept an eye on her young nephew. Roy was helping out around the bar, collecting empty drink glasses and taking them to the kitchen. He would always help out whenever the bar was extremely busy.

Chris sighed as she recalled how it had been several years since the accident that took the lives of her brother and sister-in-law, and placed Roy under her guardianship. It had been difficult raising Roy by herself but she managed. He could be a handful at times but overall he was a pretty well behaved. He also had an intense interest in alchemy. One of the girls had given him an alchemy book as a gift a while back; which initially sparked his interest. Now he would have his nose in an alchemy book whenever he could and Chris often found his room littered with scribbles of transmutation circles and transmuted objects.

"Chris! I need two scotch on the rocks, a glass of bourbon, and a vodka martini," shouted Jenny, pulling her from her thoughts.

"And I need six tequila shots, a gin and tonic, and two Tom Collins," shouted Martha.

"Coming right up," Chris answered. She grabbed the alcohol from a shelf above her and quickly began mixing the drinks. Maybe when Roy was older she could teach him how to tend the bar since mixing drinks wasn't too far off from chemistry. Then she could just sit back and relax for once.

Just as she was handing the last set of drinks to Martha a loud crash echoed through the room. Chris quickly turned and saw her nephew standing there with a surprised look on his face while all around him was shattered glass.

"ROY!"

"Sorry! I'll fix it!"

The boy quickly got down onto his hands and knees and quickly brushed the broken shards into a small pile. Then he pulled out a piece of chalk from his pocket and began drawing a transmutation circle on the hardwood floor. When he was finished, he placed both hands on the circle and a bright light came from the circle. The light flickered before disappearing and in its place were a set of sparkling wine glasses.

"See? Like new!" he said, holding the glasses up proudly.

"You better wipe up that transmutation circle too." She said sternly.

"I will!" Roy answered while he ran into the kitchen with the freshly repaired glasses. Chris sighed. He sounded just like Jeremy.

"Is that your son?" asked a voice near her. She looked up and saw an old gentleman in a military uniform sitting alone at the end of the bar.

"Not quite," she answered. "He's my nephew but I became his guardian after his parents passed away."

"I'm sorry to hear that." The old man took a sip from his glass while he watched Roy re-enter the room with a wet rag to wipe up the chalk marks. "He's got quite a talent for alchemy. Who's his teacher?"

"He doesn't have one. He learned it all himself by reading alchemy books."

"Really…" The man took another sip from his glass. "I know of a very good alchemist. I can recommend him to you." Chris looked up at him.

"Unfortunately, as a single parent, I don't have a lot of spare money to pay for a teacher," she answered while she wiped the counter.

The man nodded in understanding. "Hmm…how about this then? I can pay for the lessons."

Chris raised an eyebrow. "I'm sorry but I'm not accustomed to getting free things from strangers. What's the catch?"

The man laughed. "You're perceptive. I like that."

"One has to be in my line of business," she answered as she poured him another glass.

"As a hostess, you must get to hear lots of interesting things," he said. "Mostly mindless gossip but I'm sure every now and then a good nugget of information comes your way. I'm interested in this info and will pay for your nephew's lessons in return for it."

Chris stared at him in disbelief. "That's some proposition," she finally said. "However, it seems like I get much more out of this deal than you would."

The old man grinned. "On the contrary, I believe it's more than fair. Not to mention, I'd hate to see all that talent go to waste."

Chris carefully eyed the man, wondering if he really was genuine or if he was just playing her. She glanced at the rank on his uniform. "I need time to think it over if you don't mind, General…"

"Grumman," the man introduced himself. He pulled out a slip of paper from his wallet and scribbled something down. "If you decided to take me up on his offer you can contact me at this number." He slid the paper towards her along with several bills. Then he got up. "Anyway, I better be going," he said while putting on his hat. "It's been a pleasure chatting with you, ma'am."

Chris thanked him for his patronage and watched him leave the bar. After he was gone, she stared at the slip of paper for a while. Should she take the general up on his offer or not? She didn't really like the idea of sending Roy off to some stranger; yet, if what the general said was true and Roy really did have talent in alchemy then this could be a chance in a lifetime for him. Looking up, she called her nephew over.

"Roy, How would you like to learn alchemy from a real teacher?"

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><p><strong>AN:** _I always kinda pictured this was something Grumman would do. Not only is he getting a spy through Madam Christmas he's also secretly sending money to his son-in-law to support his granddaughter (let's face it. Berthold would rather live in poverty than take money from Grumman). A win win situation._


	4. Day 4: Meeting the Hawkeyes

**Meeting the Hawkeyes:**

Chris stared out the window, watching the scenery flash by while the cab took she and Roy to the Hawkeye residence. She fingered the strap of her purse nervously while she wondered if she was doing the right thing. General Grumman had assured her that Berthold Hawkeye was an outstanding alchemist and Roy would flourish under him yet she still couldn't shake off that uncertain feeling of sending him to a complete stranger. Looking over at the youth sitting next to her, she noticed Roy was deeply engrossed in the book he brought with him. She sighed. He was growing up so fast. It felt like only yesterday that he was a little baby sleeping in his mother's arms.

_Time flies by way too quickly…_

While she was reminiscing about the past, she noticed something. "Your hair is a mess. Here. Let me tidy it up…" she said, reaching out to brush his hair from his face. Roy quickly pulled away instead.

"It's fine, Auntie!" he protested, running his own hand through his hair and messing it up even more. She frowned. What was Berthold Hawkeye going to think when he saw Roy looking like he just rolled out of bed?

"At least let me-" Chris began but the driver interrupted her.

"Here we are, Ma'am," said the cab driver. "That'll be 3,000 cenz."

Chris reached into her purse and pulled out her wallet while Roy bolted out the car. "Roy! Wait!" she shouted to her nephew while she handed the cash to the driver. Getting out of the car, she stared up in disbelief at the house in front of her. The building was in serious disrepair with shingles missing on the roof, paint peeling off the walls and weeds growing thick in the garden.

_This has to be the wrong place,_ she thought as she slowly walked towards the house. _No sane alchemist would live here!_

"Auntie, come on!" Roy shouted as he ran up the uneven path. He quickly reached the door and rapped on it with his knuckle. A young girl with short hair and large mahogany eyes opened the door.

"Can I help you?" she asked, looking at him inquisitively.

"Uhh…I'm…ahh…" Roy stammered. Chris quickly interrupted him.

"Hello, there. We're here to see Berthold Hawkeye," she said, smiling. The little girl nodded and opened the door wider to let them in. They followed her into a small sitting room.

"Please wait here," she said. "I'll let Father know you're here." She disappeared down the hall and a few minutes later a man dressed in a housecoat came out to meet them.

"So you're Roy Mustang," he said, his cold eyes staring at Roy. "The old man said you were quite talented in alchemy." Roy beamed at the compliment. "But then he's been known to embellish. A lot," Berthold added. The smile quickly disappeared from Roy's face. Berthold studied Roy for a minute longer before turning around and headed back down the hall.

"Come with me," he said gruffly over his shoulder. "I want to see what you can do first. No sense wasting my time if you don't have any talent."

"Umm…" Roy mumbled, unsure if he should follow the mysterious man.

"Go on now," Chris nudged him. "I'll be waiting out here."

Roy took a big gulp before following Berthold to his study. Chris sighed a sigh of relief before sinking down onto a nearby couch. Looking around, she noticed that the room was very plain. A few small photos adorned the walls and the furniture itself was worn but clean.

_The place doesn't look nearly as bad inside as it does outside,_ she thought to herself.

"Would you like some tea, Ma'am?" asked a voice suddenly. Chris turned and saw the young girl standing at the doorway carrying a tea tray.

"I'd love to," she answered. The girl placed the tray on the coffee table and handed her a mug. Chris took a sip and sighed as the tea warmed her up. Turning back to the girl, she thanked her and then patted the seat next to her. "What's your name?" she asked after the girl sat down.

"Riza," she answered.

"What a pretty name! Is it short for something?" Riza shook her head.

"Do you have any siblings?"

"No."

"So it's just you and your parents living here…"

Riza shook her head again. "It's just me and Father. My mother died a long time ago."

"Oh. I'm sorry to hear that," Chris quickly apologized.

"It's ok," Riza answered. "It's been a while so I've mostly gotten over it."

Chris thought for a moment. "You know, Roy's the same. His parents died when he was young."

She looked up at her in surprise. "You're not his mother?" she asked curiously.

Chris shook her head. "I'm his aunt. I am taking care of him though."

"Oh."

They continued chatting for a while longer about their pasts and Chris soon found herself taking an instant liking to the little girl. Riza was well mannered and Chris could tell from just talking to her that she was intelligent, though somewhat mature for her age.

After about an hour the door to the study swung open and Berthold walked out followed closely behind by a grinning Roy.

"He's pretty good," Berthold told Chris. "Lots of potential. I'll take him as an apprentice. He can move in with us next Monday." Turning to his daughter, he added, "Riza, I need you to get the west room ready by then."

"Yes, Father." Riza quickly gathered up the empty mugs and took them away.

Chris watched her leave before commenting, "You have a lovely daughter, Mr. Hawkeye."

"Hmph."

His response surprised her. Did she say something wrong? All she said was that Riza was a sweet girl. He didn't honestly have a problem with that did he? She was about to say something but Berthold turned around and began instructing Roy on what he needed to study prior to their next meeting.

Chris sighed while sitting there waiting for them to finish. Glancing back at where Riza had left, she wondered if perhaps her father's cold demeanor was the reason why Riza acted so mature. She was probably pretty much taking care of herself. _That poor girl… _she thought to herself. That couldn't possibly be a good childhood. If only there was something she could do to help.

* * *

><p>Chris noticed Roy had a slight spring in his step when they finally left the Hawkeye residence.<p>

"So how do you like your new teacher?" she asked him.

"He's great!" Roy beamed. "He seemed kinda grumpy at first but after I showed him all the alchemy I could do he really opened up. He even gave me a quick demonstration of the alchemy he's researching."

"Oh? What is he researching?"

"Flame alchemy," the boy answered. "It's extremely advanced alchemy but Mr. Hawkeye said he's pretty confident that I can master it someday."

"I see."

As they entered the waiting taxi, Chris took one last look at the Hawkeye residence. Up on the second-floor window she noticed a small figure looking down at them. It was Riza. She smiled and waved at her. The young girl seemed surprised but slowly raised her own hand and waved back. Chris grinned as she entered the taxi. She wasn't expecting it but it looks like she met a new friend today.


	5. Day 5: Dog of the Military

**_A/N: _**_I'm alive! Really really really sorry to everyone who has been waiting for an update. I've just been really busy with work and stuff so I've had very little time to write the past few months._

_Anyway, regarding this chapter I'm skipping ahead a few years. Roy's now 18 and you can guess what's happening next._

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><p><span><strong>Dog of the Military:<strong>

The bar was finally closed for the night. Chris sighed in relief as the last of the drunken bachelor party stumbled out onto the street. Looking at the mess they left behind, she groaned out loud in frustration. _What a bunch of pigs! _she thoughtas she grabbed a mop and began mopping up a large spill. Meanwhile, the other girls were running around wiping down tables and collecting half drunk glasses.

When she was finally done cleaning, she leaned against the bar and wiped her brow just as the old grandfather clock at the entrance struck half past. _Crap!_ she silently swore to herself. Roy was coming home for a visit tonight and she had originally planned to slip out early to surprise him at the train station.

Just then, the bell over the door chimed and someone walked in.

"I'm sorry, but the bar is closed for the night," she heard Chelsea, one of their new girls greet the stranger.

"I'm not here for a dr-" began the young man but another woman grabbed him in a big bear hug before he could finish.

"Roy!" exclaimed Madam Viola. "It's good to see you."

"Good to see you too Aunt Viola," Roy gasped. Chris tried to hold back a smirk. Madam Viola had a soft spot for Roy ever since she first met him and would often spoil him like a grandmother spoiling a favorite grandchild.

"Let me take a look at you," Madam Viola continued, holding Roy out at arms length. "My my… You're growing to be easy on the eyes, Roy. Bet you're popular with the girls now." Roy wore on a sheepish grin at the compliment. Turning to her, Madam Viola shouted, "Chris! Why didn't you tell me he was coming?"

"Wanted to keep it a surprise," Chris answered.

"Well this is definitely a pleasant surprise," Madam Viola beamed. Turning back to Roy, she asked, "How long are you here for?"

"Just a week."

"Only a week?"

"Yeah. "

"Well make sure you come visit us again before you leave ok?"

"I will," Roy answered as Chris grabbed his arm with one hand and her purse with the other.

"Well, I'm off. Good night everyone," she announced before dragging Roy out the door with her.

* * *

><p>"Ahh…home sweet home," sighed Chris as they entered her apartment. "Welcome home, Roy."<p>

"It's good to be back," Roy remarked, looking around. "Everything still looks the same."

"Tea?"

"Sure."

"So how are things Roy boy?" she asked as she filled the kettle and placed it on the stove.

Roy scowled, "Can you please stop calling me that? I'm not a boy anymore."

"Would you rather I call you 'Little Roy' then? That's what I called you when you were a toddler."

She smirked as she saw Roy's face pale. "Err…I guess 'Roy boy' isn't that bad," he finally mumbled. She laughed out loud. He may look grown up but he was still very much a little boy inside. When the kettle finally began to whistle she took it off the stove and poured the water into two mugs.

"So how are your lessons going?" she asked as she brought the mugs to the table and handed one of them to her nephew.

"Pretty good," Roy answered. "Master Hawkeye says I've pretty much mastered all the basics of alchemy."

"That's good."

"Yeah," Roy echoed, taking a sip of tea, "but he still won't teach me flame alchemy. He said I still wasn't ready."

"If he says you aren't then you probably aren't."

"But I've mastered everything else! How can I still not be ready when I can do everything else?"

Chris could sense the frustration in Roy's voice. Shaking her head, she answered. "I'm sure he has his reasons. Anyway, how is his daughter, Riza?"

Roy looked up. "Okay, I guess. She just started boarding school so I rarely see her anymore."

"Oh."

They drank their tea in silence before Chris spoke up again. "So why are you back here in EastCity? You normally don't come back so soon for a visit."

Roy looked down at his mug and played with the tea bag. "Well I've been thinking a lot...about the future..."

Chris raised an eyebrow. "And...?" she asked, bringing her mug up to her lips.

"I've decided to join the military."

Chris almost dropped her mug. "WHAT?" she yelled before composing herself. Leaning over, she smacked Roy on the side of the head, "What the hell are you thinking?" she demanded.

"I had a feeling you wouldn't approve," Roy grumbled, rubbing his head.

"Well you guessed right! What does your teacher think about this?"

Roy looked down sheepishly. "I haven't told him yet."

Chris smacked herself on the forehead. "What about alchemy? I thought you wanted to be an alchemist."

"I did. I mean I still do..."

"Then why are you throwing all of that away to be a dog of the military?" she yelled, slamming her hand down on the table.

"Hear me out," Roy pleaded. Something in his voice made Chris stop and stare at him. Taking a deep breath, she leaned back against the chair and folded her arms over her chest.

"I'm listening," she finally muttered.

Roy sighed. "Look. Contrary to what you think I'm not throwing my life away. I just want to help our country in some way. I want to do something to help protect the citizens of Amestris and I've figured that the best way to do that is to join the military and hopefully pass the State Alchemist exam some day. I've already submitted my application to the academy. I just need to complete the cadet fitness assessment which I am doing this week."

Chris sighed. "You always were a stubborn kid. Idealistic, but nevertheless stubborn," she muttered while shaking her head.

"So you approve?"

"If that's what you want I won't stop you. Just make sure this is really the path you want to take."

"Thanks, Aunt Chris," Roy smiled. Chris let out another sigh just as the clock in the hallway chimed twice. "I better get ready for bed," Roy said, getting up. "I've got a long day tomorrow."

Chris nodded. "I laid out a set of clean towels on your bed. You know where everything else is."

"Thanks."

After Roy left, Chris leaned back and sighed. It never crossed her mind that Roy would ever join the military and it worried her. With the recent uprising in Ishbal along with constant skirmishes against and Drachma and Aerugo there was a good chance that Roy would one day be sent to the front lines. Could she really afford to lose the only family member she had left? Looking over at a small table where a framed photo of Angela and Jeremy sat, she suddenly felt a feeling of dread building up inside her. Something she had only felt once before years ago. She clasped her hands and prayed.

_Jeremy...Angela..." _she whispered. _If you're listening, please watch over your son._


	6. Day 6: The Flame Alchemist

**_A/N_**_: Another few years have passed. Roy is now trying to become a State Alchemist._

* * *

><p><strong><span>The Flame Alchemist:<span>**

Chris paced nervously in the hotel lobby. It was almost five! How much longer could the state alchemy exam possibly take? Glancing up at the clock for the umpteenth time, she wondered what could possibly be keeping Roy.

_I hope he didn't do something stupid and ended up sending someone to the infirmary._

She was just about to march over to Central HQ when Roy suddenly appeared through the lobby doors.

"Well?" she asked impatiently.

He grinned. "It went really well. I'm pretty confident I passed!"

"Congrats!" Chris cheered, giving her nephew a big hug. "This calls for a celebration!" She grabbed him by the arm and dragged him to the hotel bar. "I'll like your finest champagne, please," she told the bartender. The man nodded and pulled out a bottle from under the counter. He opened it with a loud "pop" and proceeded to pour its contents into two long flutes. Chris grabbed them and handed one to Roy.

"Cheers!" she said, raising up her glass. They clinked glasses and then took a sip. "Mmmm...that's good stuff," Chris smacked her lips. She then reached into her purse and took out a carton of cigarettes. "So what happened in the exam or is that confidential?" she asked while she put one to her lips and lit it.

Roy shrugged. "Nothing special happened in the written and psychological exams. I mean all the questions were pretty standard stuff that any decent alchemist should know or at least be able to derive."

"What about the physical exam?"

A grin began forming on Roy's lips. "I set off a couple of explosions in the room. Started off with a huge one that knocked at least one examiner off his chair. Then I did a few smaller attacks on specific targets in the room before finishing off with a large circle of fire surrounding the guards."

Chris laughed out loud. "I bet you scared the living daylights out of the guards."

Roy's grin got bigger. "They were pretty pissed afterwards but whatever. Anyway, after I was done someone at the back of the room started clapping. I turned around and you wouldn't believe who it was."

"Who was it?"

"The Fuhrer," answered Roy proudly. "He had been secretly watching the exam and said he was extremely impressed with my techniques and that the military would greatly benefit from my alchemy."

"Oh wow! That's really high praise, especially when it came from the Fuhrer himself," Chris beamed. "So when do you find out if you're officially a State Alchemist?"

"It'll take a week for them to confirm everything."

"And then what?"

He shrugged. "I report to my new job I guess." Roy looked down at his drink and slowly began drawing circles on the condensation forming on his glass. "I've been thinking though...if I really do get accepted I'd like to go visit Master Hawkeye's grave to...you know...thank him for finally allowing me to learn his secrets."

Chris looked over at her nephew. His last words surprised her a little. He never seemed like the sentimental type. But then, it never hurts to pay one's respect to their elders.

"Sure. Why not?" she muttered before taking another long drag. "By the way, I've got news of my own."

"Oh? What is it?" Roy asked, looking up.

"I'm opening up my own bar in Central."

"WHAT?!"

"Calm down will you," Chris scolded. "They can hear you all the way over in Xing."

"Sorry," Roy coughed. "Is that why you insisted on coming to Central with me?" he asked in a hushed whisper.

"It was part of the reason. Yes."

"But how could you afford a place in Central? Rent is exorbitantly expensive here. I mean I know you get paid well as a hostess but not THAT well!"

"General Grumman pulled some strings and got me a good deal on place not far from here."

"Still...there's plenty of bars here already. How are you going to make sure your business succeeds?"

"I have a few tricks up my sleeves."

"Like what?"

"A lady never reveals her secrets."

Roy snorted. "A lady of the night maybe..." she heard him mutter. She scowled and smacked him on the side of the head.

"As your aunt and guardian I expect some respect from you."

"Sorry," he mumbled, rubbing his head.

Chris let out a loud huff and poured herself another glass. "You know, Roy boy," she muttered as she took a large gulp, "You're really smart and all but that mouth of yours sometimes has a mind of its own. I just really hope that it doesn't get you in trouble one day."

Roy laughed. "Don't worry. If I ever get myself in trouble I'm sure I can just "smooth-talk" my way out."

"I really hope so," Chris mumbled as she drained her glass. "I really hope so."


	7. Day 7: An Impossible Dream

**_A/N: _**_This chapter takes place sometime after the Ishbal war. __I'm skipping Christmas's reaction during the war because I feel I've done a decent job covering that already in my other fic "The Ishbal War". Go read it if you haven't already._

* * *

><p><strong>An Impossible Dream:<strong>

The bar was a flurry of activity as Chris and the girls prettied up the place in anticipation for Roy's arrival. The war in Ishbal had just ended and he was finally coming home! Chris could barely contain her excitement as she re-arranged a large flower centerpiece over and over. Everything had to look just right!

_There. Perfect! _She thought as she stepped back to admire her handiwork.

"Looks great, Madame," said Andrea.

"Why thank you," replied Chris just as the bell over the door chimed. Everyone quickly stopped what they were doing and turned towards the door to see a handsome raven-haired man walk in.

"Hey!" Roy greeted everyone.

"Roy!" squealed Ashley, "Welcome back!"

"It's good to be back," Roy answered, giving her a hug while the other girls crowded around him. Chris smiled as she watched her nephew. He still looked the same, albeit a little skinnier but that was to be expected. She walked over to greet him but stopped when she noticed a girl shyly enter the bar behind him. She was dressed in a modest top and skirt with her short blonde hair held in place by a pair of barrettes. Her mahogany colored eyes went directly towards Roy and she immediately frowned when she saw him surrounded by the girls. Chris smiled. She'd recognize those eyes anywhere.

"Riza! It's so good to see you again," she said, greeting the young woman. "It's been too long." Riza looked back at her in surprise. Clearly she didn't recognize her.

"Riza...this is Chris Mustang, my aunt." Roy introduced.

Riza's eyes lit up. "Oh, yes. It's great seeing you again. And thank you for the care packages."

"Oh it was nothing," Chris responded, waving her hand. "Anyway, I'd like you to meet Vanessa, Ashley, Karen, Sasha, and Andrea. They all work for me."

"It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Riza," Vanessa said as she grabbed Riza's hand and shook it. "We've heard a lot about you from Roy's letters." Riza quickly looked over at Roy and he simply gave a nervous laugh.

"Don't worry. He didn't write anything embarassing," Ashley added.

"I most certainly hope not," Riza replied, still staring at Roy.

"Girls! Why don't you show Riza around the place?" Chris interjected.

"Great idea, Madam!" exclaimed Vanessa. "Come on, Riza. You're going to LOVE the parlor room! We just added a new chandelier and upholstery and I swear the chairs in that room are sooo comfy that you'll never want to get up again!" she continued as she led Riza to another room followed closely behind by the rest of the girls.

"Will she be alright?" Roy whispered to Chris as he watched the group disappear.

"Don't worry. The girls will be good," she assured him. "Anyway, how about something to drink?"

"That would be great," he grinned before giving Chris a quick hug.

"Anything you want in particular?"

"Scotch. Neat."

"You got it. Coming right up." Chris walked back to the bar and pulled a scotch glass and bottle from a shelf under the counter while Roy quietly sat down at the bar.

"Place looks good," he said looking around. "Looks a lot better than the last time I was here."

"I would hope so. We did some major renovations since you were last here. So what do you think?" she asked as she poured the scotch and handed it to her nephew.

"Very classy. Almost like a gentleman's club. General Grumman found you a great location. You must get lots of military people since it's practically within walking distance from Central HQ."

"Sure do. Never underestimate the power of good liquor and beautiful women," Chris answered with a wink. "This place is especially busy on weekends."

"I see. I've been meaning to ask you though, where did you come up with the name? It's quite unusual for a bar."

"It's an old nickname your dad gave me."

"Really? Dad called you that?

"Yup. 'Christmas' and 'Jerrycan'. Those were our nicknames for each other. While we were growing up we would drive your grandmother nuts teasing each other." Chris smiled as memories of her childhood stirred in her mind.

"I see...You must really miss him."

"Of course. I think about him and your mom all the time. Anyway, enough reminiscing about the past. What was it you wanted to talk to me about? You were being really secretive over the phone."

"Well you never know if the phone lines are tapped."

"I'm not denying that. But really now. What is it you wanted to tell me?"

Roy was quiet for a moment before slowing saying, "I've decided I want to become Fuhrer."

Chris nearly dropped the glass she was drying. "You want to be what?!"

"Fuhrer," he answered calmly.

"Roy! What are you thinking? Why would you want to be Fuhrer?"

He looked down at his drink. "It's the only way I can atone for my sins in Ishbal," he mumbled.

Chris furrowed her brow. "What happened in Ishbal?" she asked cautiously.

"Lots of things," he answered. "I did a lot of terrible things in Ishbal. Horrible things that you wouldn't believe I'm capable of. Riza too. And Maes. We're all monsters. We fought and killed countless people all in the name of protecting this country. It wasn't until the war was finally over that I realized that the only way I can really protect Amestris is by becoming Fuhrer."

"But do you realize just how hard it is to do that?"

"Of course. That's why I need your help."

"And what exactly do you need me to do?"

"Be my eyes and ears in Central. I need to know what's going on here while I'm stuck in East HQ. You get plenty of military clients here so I know confidential information is sometimes 'accidentally' leaked. _In vino veritas_ and all."

Chris nodded, "Yes, an occasional juicy tidbit does get out when we provide enough alcohol but that's not what I'm concerned about."

"Then what?"

Chris leaned on the counter. "Think about it, boy. You're essentially putting a giant bullseye on your back. Once Fuhrer King Bradley gets wind of your plan he'll squash you like a bug. He has power. You don't."

Roy stared back at her. "I'm aware of that. I also know that it'll be a long hard journey and I'm prepared for it. You're right in that I have no power compared to Bradley but if I play my cards right I can gain allies and promotions till I'm close enough to oust him."

Chris sighed and glanced back at the door the girls went through. "Does Riza know about this?" she asked. "Have you thought about how this crazy dream of yours will affect her?"

"She knows, as do a few others. They've all agreed to help me," Roy answered casually as he took a sip of his drink. Chris sighed again.

"Well looks like I don't have much of a choice. I'll see what I can do."

"Thanks, Aunt Chris."

"Call me, "Madame". Might not be a good idea for people to know we're related if you want me to spy for you."

Roy gave her a confused look but it quickly became a grin when he finally understood what she meant. "In that case, thank you, Madame,"

"My pleasure."

She picked up her glass and continued drying. "It's funny..." she murmured as she rubbed a stubborn stain. "Your dad once told me that he wanted you to become Fuhrer one day."

Now it was Roy's turn to look surprised. "Really? Why?"

"No real reason. He was joking when he said it. You were just a newborn then and I guess like any proud parent he had high hopes for you."

"Well then. It looks like I have even more reason to become Fuhrer then," Roy grinned.

"Just be careful, okay?" she replied just as the door chimed and a customer walked in.

"Guess it's time for us to go," Roy murmured as the customer sat down at the other end of the bar. Chris nodded.

"Come by again soon," she said as he got up. As if on cue, Riza and the girls also re-appeared.

"We will. Take care...Madame," Roy answered as he and Riza left the bar. Chris watched as the door slowly shut behind them and sighed.

_I really hope you know what you're doing, Roy. You're playing with fire now. _


	8. Day 8: Finding Fullmetal

**Finding Fullmetal **

"I'll have another one, Madame!" shouted Roy gleefully, slamming the empty glass onto the counter. Chris frowned at how drunk her nephew was.

"I think you've had quite enough already, Roy boy," she said, taking away his glass. "You're going to have one heck of a hangover tomorrow if you keep this up."

"Aww...come on. One more," he pleaded.

"No. Drink this instead." She handed him a glass of water. "You need to sober up."

"You're no fun," Roy pouted as he began drinking his water. Chris rolled her eyes in disgust. _How did I end up raising such a big baby?_ she thought as she turned her attention to the woman sitting quietly next to him.

"Would you like anything else, Riza?"

Riza looked up from the book she was reading. "No, thank you. I'm still working on my tea," she answered just as Roy burst out laughing at a joke Vanessa had just told him.

"So what got him so cheerful?" Chris asked, nodding over at Roy. "Last time I saw him this happy was when he finally learned to go potty all by himself."

"HEY!" Roy shouted while Riza snickered. Chris grinned. Telling embarrassing stories was the best way to get a reaction out of him.

"He's just in a good mood because a bunch of things turned out in his favor today," Riza answered.

"What things?" asked Sasha, sitting down next to Vanessa.

"Long story short, we found a young alchemist a while back and convinced him to come to Central to take the state alchemy exam. Let's just say the kid's got talent," Roy mumbled as he took a sip of water

Chris raised an eyebrow. "Kid?"

"He's only twelve," Riza answered.

"I was sitting in on his practice exam," Roy continued as if he didn't hear them. "So I watched him transmute a spear without an sort of transmutation circle. Just clapped his hands and pulled it straight out of the ground. It was unbelievable! Everybody was blown away."

"And then what?" asked Vanessa.

"And then he pointed it straight at the Fuhrer."

"He WHAT?" Chris, Vanessa, and Sasha yelled out in unison.

"He pointed the spear at the Fuhrer," Roy repeated while Riza nodded her head.

"He must be mad..." gasped Vanessa.

"Or have a death wish..." added Sasha.

"Neither. He's just young and stupid. Anyway, the Fuhrer wasn't fazed by it. In fact, he seemed pleased so we're probably looking at the youngest State Alchemist in history."

"Okay...But I still don't get it. How does any of this benefit you?" Sasha asked.

Roy grinned. "Part of my job is to recruit alchemists into the military. A lot of alchemists abandoned the military after Ishbal so we've been in dire need of anybody with a pulse who can transmute. To be able to find such a talented alchemist means I'll gain points with the higher ups which will enable me to climb the ranks even faster."

"Is that all? Pooh! I was hoping you got some big fat bonus or something," Sasha pouted, looking bored.

"Patience is a virtue, Sasha," Vanessa chided. "When Roy finally becomes Fuhrer he'll shower us with gifts."

"Really?"

"Sure!" Roy grinned. "When I become Fuhrer, I plan on doing a lot of things I can't do now."

"Like?"

"Well for starters, I plan on having all female personnel to wear... tiny miniskirts!" he laughed out loud. Chris raised an eyebrow at the comment. That didn't sound like the Roy she knew. In fact, it sounded more like something a certain general out East would say. Looking over at Riza, she saw the woman frown. No doubt she wasn't thrilled with his proclamation either.

"Colonel, we talked about this before." Riza sighed. "A miniskirt is not practical in the military and there are much more important things to worry about than changing the dress code."

"Come on, Lieutenant," Roy pouted. "Can't you let me have this one fantasy?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because my job is to keep you on the right path towards your goal to fix this country and this is not going to help you reach your goal. In fact, I would say it's a detriment."

"It's not a detriment. More like... a detour."

"It's at the very least a distraction and you already procrastinate enough on your paperwork as is. When you become Fuhrer you'll have even more work to do and quite frankly, the less distractions you have the better, Sir."

Chris tried to hide a smile as Roy continue to protest. Those two constantly bickered like an old married couple.

"Alright...Fine. You win," Roy finally relented, throwing his arms up in the air. "But can you at least stop calling me 'Sir' here? We're not at work right now."

"We're still in uniform." Riza reminded him. "If you wanted to drop the formalities then you should've changed into civvies like I suggested but you wanted to go out and celebrate immediately instead."

"You take your job too seriously sometimes," he mumbled while Riza gave him the side eye.

"She has a point, Roy," Vanessa spoke as she poured herself a glass of wine. "You represent the military when you're in uniform so you shouldn't be doing things that'll give it a bad name."

"Don't tell me you're taking her side now too?" he exclaimed, visibly hurt. Vanessa looked flustered at the accusation.

"No, I'm not! I'm just pointing-." Before she could finish her sentence, he snatched her glass.

"Hey! That's mine!"

"Not anymore," he shouted gleefully before taking a large gulp.

"You jerk! Give that back!" Vanessa reached for the drink but Roy pulled it out of her reach while laughing. Behind him, Riza and Chris both rolled their eyes.

"Here," Chris said, pouring a glass of wine and handing it to Riza. "You're gonna need this if you have to put up with him in this state later tonight. And don't worry. It's on the house," she added with a wink.

"Thanks," Riza graciously accepted the drink.

"No, thank _you_ for taking care of him. It can't be easy with him being a real pain in the ass sometimes...like right now for example."

"He can be a handful but I don't mind," she replied before taking a small sip.

"Well if he ever gets too much for even you just give me a call and I'll set him straight for you."

Riza smiled. "Deal."

* * *

><p><em>Later...<em>

"Time to go, Colonel," Riza ordered, dragging Roy by one arm towards the entrance.

"Come on, Lieutenant...Just one more drink..." he slurred.

"No. You've already had too much," she answered sternly. "We have to take the train back to East City tomorrow morning and I'd like it if Ed and Al don't see you hung over."

"Can you handle him all by yourself?" Chris asked.

"We'll be fine. The hotel's not too far from here." She grabbed the door knob and yanked it open. "Let's go, Colonel," she ordered, pushing him out the front door.

"Bye, Roy!" Sasha called out. "Come visit us again the next time you're in town."

"Buh-bye!" he shouted back before the door closed behind them with a loud click. Almost immediately, the girls' demeanor changed.

"Poor Riza," Vanessa sighed. "How does she put up with him day after day?"

"Seriously! If it were me I would've ditched him a long time ago," Sasha agreed.

"It's a good thing neither of you are his bodyguard then," Chris muttered under her breath as she began gathering the empty glasses. As she rinsed the glasses Vanessa's question echoed in her mind. Come to think of it, Riza had to have sacrificed a lot to be Roy's bodyguard and she wondered if her nephew had any idea just how lucky he was to have someone like her supporting him.

"I hope you realize what you have Roy boy," she mumbled to herself. "Women like her are rare and I'd hate to see you lose such a special girl someday because of something stupid."


	9. Day 9: Elizabeth

**Elizabeth:**

The bar was unusually quiet that night. Normally the bar was filled to capacity with drunk patrons vying for the girls' attention but for the past two nights there were only a handful of them and even they left long before midnight. Chris couldn't understand why there was a sudden drop in customers. She hadn't heard of any new bars opening up nearby that would be stealing their clientele. Was there some sort of big event going on that night that she wasn't aware of?

"Should we close up early, Madame?" asked Karen after they stood around waiting over an hour after the last patron left.

Chris sighed. "I suppose so. Looks like no one else is com-" Just then, the front door opened and a very familiar face appeared.

"Hey!"

"Roy! Long time no see!" Vanessa squealed. She wrapped her arms around him and gave him a big hug while the other girls crowded around him.

"Good to see you too, Vanessa. You're looking good tonight." he laughed.

"Did you bring us anything?" Sasha asked excitedly.

"Well...I do have this small box of chocolates..." He pulled out a box decorated with a velvet bow. She immediately grabbed it.

"Yay!"

"Don't eat it all in one sitting or else you'll get fat," he warned her. Sasha stuck out her tongue at him as she unwrapped the chocolates. He smirked before looking over at the bar. "Good evening, Madame Christmas," he greeted her.

"It's been a while, Roy boy," Chris grinned. "I was starting to wonder if you had forgotten about us." She glanced back behind him. _Odd...Riza's not with him._

"Don't worry. I could never forget about you. I've just been far too busy with the move to Central and then having to deal with all those Scar sightings to visit," he replied, taking a seat at the bar.

"I see... So how have you been?"

"Honestly? Not so good. It's been a bad week. I've been staying late at the office every night and it gets kinda depressing after a while. So I came here to cheer myself up."

Chris raised an eyebrow. Something was not right. "If you need cheering up why don't you just go play with Elizabeth?" she asked, careful to use Riza's alias.

"Elizabeth got taken by another man," Roy pouted.

Chris stared at him in shock. Riza taken by another man? Something definitely wasn't right.

"You two got in a fight?"

"No, it's nothing like that."

"Then what?"

"I rather not talk about it...now," he mumbled while Vanessa patted him on the back.

"Poor Roy," she cooed. "But don't worry. You still have us."

"Yeah!" piped Karen. "We can go on dates with you!"

Roy laughed. "Sure, I'll go on a date with you anytime!"

"Really? Yay!"

Chris rolled her eyes. Even though it was all an act, Roy's playboy persona never sat well with her. She honestly wondered how Riza put up with it all these years.

"You want anything to drink?" she interrupted.

"Nothing alcoholic," Roy answered. "I'm still recovering from an injury." He pulled out a slip of paper from his coat pocket and slid it towards her. "I'll have the 'special' instead."

Chris picked up the piece of paper and grinned when she read what was on it. So that's why he was here.

"Coming right up!"

* * *

><p>"Goodnight!" Andrea called out as she stepped out the door. "Don't stay out too late!"<p>

"We won't," Chris replied. "Goodnight!" The door then closed with a loud click, leaving just Chris and Roy left in the bar. She immediately turned and glared at her nephew.

"Alright. Spill it. What really happen to her?"

"I told you. She got taken by another man," Roy answered calmly while taking a sip of his club soda.

"Bullshit!" she shouted, slapping her rag on the counter. "I don't buy that for a second. First of all, she's not the type to just run off with another man and second, if she really did leave you, you would've come in crying your eyes out like the time you fell and skinned your knee when you were three."

Roy scowled at the anecdote before putting down his drink. "Fine," he said, leaning in towards her. "I stuck my nose in something I shouldn't have and they took her from me."

"Who's 'they'?"

"The military."

She gave him a confused look. "You're not making any sense, Roy boy. You can't just take a full-grown woman away unless you're saying she's kidnapped."

"Close, but not quite. More like she's being held hostage because of me."

Chris gasped. "Roy!" she scolded. "What the hell did you do?"

"I told you. I found out something I shouldn't have, blabbed it to the wrong people, and now Riza's been reassigned by the Fuhrer to be his personal assistant. And that's not all. Breda, Fuery, and Falman have all been transferred to other cities too."

Chris pursed her lips. He must've found something really damaging if they took away his entire team.

"I'm just lucky they want me alive," Roy continued. "Otherwise they could've killed me like they killed Hughes."

"Why _do_ they want you alive?" Chris asked cautiously. She wasn't sure if she wanted to hear the answer.

"Because I'm a candidate to be one of their 'human sacrifices'," he laughed bitterly.

Chris's eyes widened in horror. _Human...sacrifices? _Suddenly her mind was going a mile a minute."Roy!" she said hastily. "You need to get out of here! You hear me? Get out of the country immediately!"

"And go where? Xing?" Roy stared at her with his dark eyes. "And leave all my subordinates to fend for themselves? Leave Riza in the hands of the enemy? They'll execute all of them if I so much as put a toe out of the country." He picked up his drink and stared at it. "I have to stay in Amestris. Too many lives are depending on me."

Chris nodded while biting her lower lip. How the hell did it all come down to this? She knew there would be risks when Roy decided to aim for the top job but she never really gave it much thought that he could die.

"I always said your mouth would get you into trouble one day," she finally muttered.

"Yeah, well you were right. Who would've thought?"

"So what are you going to do?"

"Nothing."

"Nothing?"

"I'm being watched. They're monitoring me wherever I go to make sure I don't do something rash. Hell, I wouldn't be surprised if they're waiting for me outside the bar right now."

"How do you know?"

"I just do," Roy replied while taking another sip of his drink. "And even if they aren't I have to act as if they are. I can't afford any more slip ups."

"So is that why you called General Grumman?"

"One of the reasons. I actually have a plan but I need the General's help to pull it off."

"Are you sure you can trust him though? I mean after all that's happened."

"It's a risk I'm willing to take. He's been completely supportive of my goal from the very beginning so I'd be surprised if it turns out he's been on their side all along." He was silent for a moment before letting out a quiet laugh. "In fact, before I left East HQ he offered his granddaughter's hand to me. He wanted her to become First Lady."

"I'm sure she was thrilled about that..." Chris remarked sarcastically while she filled his glass.

"She wasn't. Said there were far more important things to worry about than marriage."

"Smart girl."

Roy sighed and began slowly drawing circles on the condensation on his glass. "General Grumman's probably gonna rip me a new one when he finds out I put her in danger though," he finally mumbled as if lost in thought.

Chris gave him a confused look. "Who? His granddaughter? What happened to her?"

He looked up at her. "What do you mean, 'What happened to her'?" Then realization dawned on him. "I never told you? Riza's his granddaughter."

_Granddaughter?_ Chris's eyes almost popped out of her head. _They're related?_ Then suddenly everything started to make sense. Roy's introduction to his alchemy teacher. The "free" lessons. Grumman taking him under his wing in East HQ.

_That sly bastard_, she chuckled to herself.

"Well..." she finally said, "You can do much worse than being stuck with him as a grandfather-in-law."

Roy raised an eyebrow. "Oh great. Not you too..." he groaned.

"I'm getting old, Roy boy," Chris smirked. "It'll be nice to see the Mustang family name continue on before I die."

"Oh please," Roy rolled his eyes. "One. You're not _that_ old and two, if you haven't already noticed, now is the absolute worst time to be thinking about settling down and starting a family."

"I know. I was just pulling your leg," she answered with a wink.

"Yeah? Well your timing needs work," he muttered while he pulled out his pocket watch and checked the time. "I better go," he said, getting up. "I've got long nights ahead of me."

She nodded. "Be careful, okay?"

"I will," he replied. As he put on his coat, he added, "I'm afraid I won't be able to come by to visit much in the near future. Since my subordinates are gone it's going to be hard enough for me to keep up with all the paperwork at my regular 'day job'. I doubt I'll have time for reconnaissance so please tell the girls I'll have to take a rain check on all those 'dates.'"

"They'll be disappointed but they'll get over it," she assured him.

"Good."

Chris watched silently as he made his way towards the door before calling out to him. "Roy!" He stopped and turned to her. "Your subordinates may be gone but I'm still here. Come by anytime you need help."

He smiled. "I will. Good night, Madame."

"Good night, Colonel."


	10. Day 10: The Promise Day

**_A/N:_**_ This chapter takes place right before the Promise Day and is based on the little scene between Roy and Madame Christmas at the beginning of the manga Chapter 87._

* * *

><p><strong><span>The Promise Day:<span>**

Chris yawned as she scanned an old newspaper in front of her, looking for information for Roy. He had stopped by the bar the previous night, visibly tired from long nights in the office, to ask for help in researching something for him. The words had barely left his mouth when she agreed but she almost instantly regretted it when she found out who he was looking for information on and why.

_"Selim Bradley? Why would you want information on him?" Chris asked, looking up from the photo Roy had just handed her._

_"I have reason to suspect he is not what he seems," Roy answered as he helped himself to a glass of wine._

_"Meaning...?"_

_"I don't think he's human."_

_Roy boy...you've finally lost it,_ Chris thought as she continued flipping through yellowed page after yellowed page. She had spent the past few hours scouring through newspapers in the Central Public Library looking for any announcements regarding Selim's birth or adoption but so far she was coming up empty. _Talk about looking for a needle in a haystack,_ she muttered to herself as she carefully folded the paper and tossed it aside before grabbing another one. She turned the page and did a double take when she saw Selim's face smiling up at her.

_Is that...?._

She brought the paper closer to her face and studied the photo. The boy definitely looked like Selim except a little older. She quickly scanned the article accompanying the photo. _The highly anticipated state-of-the-art School for the Gifted was opened yesterday in Central City. Standing in front of a large crowd, Mr. Otto Fraiser, the Minister of Education made a stirring speech about the importance of expanding knowledge through education before declaring the school open... _Chris looked back at the photo. The minister was standing in front of the school flanked by kids of various ages. Selim stood slightly behind him with a boyish grin on his face. She glanced up at the date and almost dropped the paper in surprise.

_That's impossible! According to the date he should have been just a baby then..._

She knitted her brows while she tried to come up with a rational explanation. Perhaps it wasn't really Selim. Just some random kid who looked similar. However, that didn't explain why the boy in the photo also had a small birthmark on his forehead in the exact same place. The odds of two similar looking boys having the exact same birthmarks seemed too low for her to simply ignore.

"Psst...Madame! Check out what I just found!" whispered Karen suddenly from across the table. She looked up just as Karen shoved another newspaper in her face.

"What is it?" she whispered back as she adjusted her reading glasses.

"You know how you asked me to look into the Fuhrer's family history, right? Well I figured finding his wedding announcement would be a good place to start. Turns out, their wedding was like the society wedding of the year so there was a huge article printed about them with lots of photos!"

Chris nodded. "And?"

"Take a look at this one!" Karen pointed at one of the photos. Chris leaned over and studied the photo. It was a standard group wedding photo with the Bradleys standing in the middle of the photo surrounded by their guests."

"I don't see anything special..."

"Look closer! In the corner."

Chris squinted as she followed Karen's finger. At the very edge of the photo hiding in the shadows was Selim!

_Oh. My. God..._

"Weird eh?" asked Karen excitedly. "That kid looks exactly like their son, Selim."

"Yeah...the resemblance is uncanny," Chris muttered. _How_ _is this possible? This photo was taken almost thirty years ago!_ Suddenly, a feeling of panic flooded over her. This was clearly information she was not supposed to know about. She looked up and scanned the room. A few people were scattered around the library minding their own business but she still couldn't shake the feeling someone might be watching them. She quickly stood up.

"Madame?" asked Karen with a puzzled look on her face.

"I think we've done enough research for one day," she said hastily. "Thank you for all your help, Karen. The Colonel will probably find this article really useful."

"Oh. You're welcome," Karen beamed.

Chris carefully folded the two newspapers and tucked them into her oversized purse. She'd return them back to the library when she was done with them. While she returned the rest of the papers to their proper location she spied a photo of Selim standing next to the Fuhrer on the front of another newspaper. She shook her head before shoving the papers back onto the bookshelf.

_Selim Bradley...What the heck are you?_

* * *

><p><em>One week later... <em>

Chris walked along an old dirt road, clutching a small notebook as she explored the tiny village she was in. During the past week she had done some more digging on the First Family and, to her dismay, everything she uncovered seemed to create even more questions than they answered. With the Promise Day fast approaching, she decided to take a day trip to the village where the Fuhrer supposedly grew up in hopes that she would finally find some answers.

_It should be around here,_ she thought as she looked down at the address written in her notebook. Her first stop was the Bradley family home. While she doubt she would find much there it was a good starting point. _Ah! There it is! _she thought when she spied a large iron fence surrounded by trees near the end of the road. She trotted over to the lot but stopped before she reached the gate.

_What in the world...?_

Chris stood there, in shock. Instead of finding the humble, yet cozy home shown in countless media outlets as the Fuhrer's childhood home something much more cold and disturbing was on the other side of the gate:

A graveyard.

A large imposing masoleum stood in the middle of the lot surrounded by smaller yet equally grotesque tombstones. She squinted as she tried to make out the name on the weather-worn granite before giving up. Whatever it was, it was definitely not "BRADLEY".

_This can't be right, _she thought as she looked around. But there were no other houses at the end of the road. Confused, she began walking back down the road until she hit the main street. She continued on that street until she spotted two old men sitting on a porch. She quickly ran over to them.

"Excuse me, sirs. I'm looking for the Bradley residence. Could you please tell me where it is?"

Both men gave her a confused look. "Bradley? There's no family by that name here," answered one.

"You sure? I've been told that the family's been living here for generations."

"Sure as water's wet. I've never heard of that name before. Turning to his friend, he asked, "What about you, Tom? You ever met anyone by the name of Bradley?"

"Whoever told you must've been lying to ya, Miss," answered Tom. "I've lived here eighty years and I can assure you there's never been no family by that name living or has ever lived here in this village."

A chill went down Chris's spine. So Roy really was right. Everything about the Fuhrer's life was a lie. Even his own child. She thanked the men for the info and quickly made her way back to the train station. There was no sense staying in the village if the Fuhrer never really lived here. While she bought her return ticket back to Central, the anxiety she felt at the library was back. She constantly looked over her shoulder as she nervously waited for her train, wondering if any of the people walking around the platform were secretly spying on her. It was only when she finally boarded the train and was zooming back to Central that she was finally able to somewhat relax. Opening her notebook again, she scribbled her latest findings inside it. When she was done, she read over all the information she had gathered the past week and frowned as another question crept into her mind:

If everything about the Fuhrer was a fabrication then who was it that was really running the country?

* * *

><p><em>The next evening <em>_in Central..._

"You were right, Roy boy. Selim Bradley isn't human." Chris tossed a large manila envelope on the counter. Roy opened it and pulled out several faded photos.

"Old photos?"

"Look at the dates on them."

"Twenty years ago...Thirty-five...Forty...What the hell? This one is from fifty years ago yet Selim Bradley still looks the same!" he exclaimed.

"Yup. That brat is a freak of nature," Chris mumbled as she lit a cigarette.

"Not only that...In every time period, Selim Bradley is always near the most powerful people in government," Roy added, studying the photos carefully.

"That's not all. I also went and checked out the village the Fuhrer was supposedly from. Even though there's documents that verify he was born and raised there, none of the town's elderly had every seen or heard of the Bradley family during that time. And the address listed is fake too. I found a graveyard there instead." She handed him another stack of papers. Roy looked over the documents and frowned.

"They really went out of their way to give him a history..." she heard him mutter under his breath. Finally, he looked up. "Thanks, Madame. It must've been a lot of work getting all this information."

She laughed. "Tell me about it. When you first told me about this crazy story I thought you had finally lost it. But then I started to uncover evidence that backed up your story... let's just say I got a second wind. However, there are still some things that still don't make sense."

"Like what?"

"Like how come no one's noticed that Selim isn't human. Surely they've done medical exams on him at school."

"He's the Fuhrer's son. They probably bribed a private doctor to write up a fake medical report."

"Hmph. Makes sense." Taking a long drag of her cigarette, she asked, "So what are you going to do now?"

Roy didn't answer. Chris looked up and saw him staring at front door. She could hear people talking outside which she naturally assumed were just drunk patrons passing by on their way to another bar but Roy thought otherwise.

"We gotta go! We've got guests," he whispered urgently, grabbing his coat and pushing her towards the back. They quickly ran into the wine cellar and opened the trap door Roy had constructed earlier that evening. Chris carefully lowered herself using a ladder and stepped into the sewers.

"Ugh!" she groaned as the foul stench of sewage penetrated her nostrils. Pinching her nose, she watched as Roy drew a transmutation circle on the trap door. Before she could ask what he was doing she heard yelling upstairs.

"Where are they?"

"Shoot! They got away!"

"Hurry up, boy! They're coming!" she hissed just as Roy activated the transmutation circle and sealed the door. He then dropped down next to her and grabbed a small cylinder hanging from an nearby electrical panel. Chris watched as he flipped open the lid, revealing a trigger and pressed on it.

_Click._

_BOOOOOOOOOM!_

The explosion rocked the ground above them, shaking the walls and causing bits of dirt and dust to dislodge and fall on top of them. They waited in silence till the shaking finally stopped.

"My poor bar...all those years of hard work...gone," she finally sighed.

"Cut me some slack will you? I promised I'd buy you a new one," Roy remarked while he ripped out the detonator and tossed it into the water.

"Nah. I needed a break anyway. I've been working for far too long."

"Have you figured out where you're going to go?"

"Yeah. I'm gonna go visit some old friends I've been meaning to see for a while. It's about time I took a nice long vacation."

"I see. Did you help the girls escape?"

"Yup. They're long gone. I sent them off with a bodyguard too just to be safe. They're probably in Xing by now."

Roy smiled. "Thanks, Madame. I owe you one."

Chris smirked. "You can pay me back when you're Fuhrer. Remember, I expect great things from you." She leaned over and placed a hand on Roy's cheek. "But most of all...Be careful and come back alive." she whispered. Though he never told her, she had a pretty good idea what he was going to do after they went their separate ways. The Promise Day was upon them and he was never the type to just let things be, especially when innocent lives were on the line.

Roy looked at her with a sorrowful face. "I can't promise that. I'll try everything I can to survive but in the event that something happens...I want you to know that I really appreciate everything you've done for me all these years... ever since Mom and Dad died. Thank you, Aunt Chris...for everything."

Chris could feel the tears starting to form in her eyes. Choking back a sob, she grabbed him in a big bear hug and kissed him on the cheek. "You're welcome," she whispered in his ear, her voice cracking slightly. Then she quickly stepped back and turned around so he couldn't see her cry. "I'll see you later, Roy boy," she waved before walking off. When she was thought she was finally far enough away, she finally broke down and cried.

_Roy...Please come back. For the love of God please come back alive._


	11. Day 11: Starting Over

_**A/N:** So so sorry for the late update. Had a combination of procrastination/distractions and back-to-back illnesses keeping me from writing._

* * *

><p><strong><span>Starting Over:<span>**

Chris could hardly contain her delight as she stared in amazement at the room in front of her. The place was gorgeous! The walls and floor were a beautiful shade of mahogany that matched perfectly with the velvet-covered furniture. Above her, a crystal chandelier sparkled in the sunlight, scattering rainbows all around the room. However, Chris's absolute favorite thing was the fully-stocked bar at the far end of the room. She quickly dashed over to it and ran her hands lovingly over the granite top.

_Beautiful..._ she thought as she admired the craftmanship. _Absolutely beautiful._

"Well? What do you think?" asked a voice behind her. She turned and grinned.

"It's perfect! I don't think my dream bar even looked this beautiful. Thank you!" Roy simply shrugged.

"Well I promised I'd buy you a new one to replace the one I blew up and you know how I never break a promise," he smirked.

"But it must've cost a fortune! Can you afford it?"

"Grandfather pitched in some money," answered a voice behind them. They turned and saw Riza descending the spiral staircase. "He said that now that he's living in Central he wants to make sure there's a bar nearby that's good enough for the Fuhrer to visit."

"Well please tell Fuhrer Grumman that I thank him for his generosity and that he is always welcome here," replied Chris. Riza simply smiled and brushed a few stray strands of hair out of her face. Chris's eyes immediately went to the pink scar on her neck that her new pixie haircut could not hide.

_And to think she almost died..._ she thought to herself as memories of what happened on the Promise Day came rushing back. She glanced over at Roy and noticed he was subconsciously rubbing the palms of his hands where Bradley had impaled him with his sword. Her heart began to beat faster as she realized just how close she had been to losing both of them that day_._

"So how are things? How is the reconstruction in Ishbal coming along?" she asked, changing the subject.

"It's moving slowly," answered Roy. "The entire city pretty much has to be rebuilt since we practically destroyed the area during the war. Simply put, we've got our work cut out for us."

"That's not surprising. You can't expect to rebuild a city overnight."

"Well things could be moving along much faster if we could use alchemy but the elders requested we don't. The devastation caused by the State Alchemists during the war is still too fresh in their minds. Not to mention, alchemy is also forbidden by their religion so we don't want to stir up any unnecessary conflicts. Fortunately, Major General Armstrong sent a platoon of Briggs soldiers to assist us and the Fuhrer said that he'll send more men once repairs on Central HQ are completed."

"That's good to hear. More hands are always helpful."

'I suppose..." Roy sighed. "But all these extra soldiers also means more paperwork."

Riza rolled her eyes. "Not like you're the one juggling that."

Roy laughed nervously. "That's why I have such a wonderful subordinate to help me," he said, grabbing her by the shoulder and pulling her towards him. "I couldn't have made it this far without her."

"You wouldn't have made it out of Ishbal years ago if it weren't for me," she remarked, giving him a playful jab on the chest. Chris couldn't help but chuckle at their bickering.

"So you'll be heading back to Ishbal soon?" she asked as she inspected the liquor bottles.

"Yes, but not for very long. We have a trip to Xing planned next month."

"Oh? A vacation?"

Roy and Riza both shook their heads. "Not quite. Ling Yao, the Xingese prince who helped us in our fight against Bradley will be ascending to the throne as Emperor of Xing. The Fuhrer has asked us to attend the coronation as representatives of Amestris," Roy explained.

"Grandfather is very eager to establish diplomatic relations with Xing," Riza added. "He hopes that becoming allies with them will be the first step towards establishing lasting peace in Amestris."

Chris nodded. "Peace is definitely something this country needs. It's been one war after another since this country was founded."

"That's only because the Homunculi have been running this country from the very beginning," Roy explained. "Things should be different now that Fuhrer Grumman is in charge."

"Anyway, one of the first things on the agenda is to open up the borders and establish trade agreements," Riza continued. "There have already been some unofficial talks with Emperor Yao about the subject and they both seem open to the idea of building a railway through the desert and establishing Ishbal as a center for commerce. Grandfather has asked us to spearhead the talks and finalize the agreements while we're there."

Chris's eyes lit up. "That's a great idea!" she exclaimed. "So how long will you be there?"

"A few weeks," Roy answered. "It'll take a while to sort out all the details of the agreement. Plus, the Emperor has extended a personal invitation for a bunch of us to stay and see the sights."

"Sounds exciting."

Roy scratched his head. "'Stressful' might be a better word. Official state visits are never as fun as the media makes them out to be."

"It's not supposed to be fun," Riza chided. "We're representing the Fuhrer on this trip so if you make one wrong step it looks bad on all of Amestris. Besides, Grandfather called it good diplomatic training for you," Roy made a face.

"I don't need diplomatic training. I'm doing quite fine right now."

Riza raised an eyebrow. "Oh really? Then explain what happened in Aerugo."

"It was just _one _bottle of wine! _One!_ And I was only a little tipsy!"

"I rest my case."

Chris hid a smile as she listened to her nephew try to justify his ignorance for not knowing that public drunkenness was frowned upon in a country known for its fine wine. Riza had clearly outwitted him again.

_Give it up, Roy boy,_ she thought. _You'll never win an argument against her._

"If I may put my two cents in," she interrupted. "It doesn't matter now if you didn't know about their culture. The past is past. What matters now is moving forward and making sure this kind of faux pas doesn't happen again," she lectured while placing a bottle she was looking at back on the shelf. Roy gave her an exasperated look, resulting in a stern look from her. "You also might want to do some research on the Xingese tea ceremony before your trip. I hear it's a complicated ritual and I'd hate for you to embarrass yourself and your country again," she snapped.

"Speaking of tea, we promised Grandfather that we would join him for tea," Riza said, turning to Roy. He blinked.

"Hmm..? Oh of course. I guess we better get going. Can't keep the Fuhrer's waiting," he said, gently placing a hand on Riza's back and guiding her towards the bar entrance. "I'll stop by again tomorrow before we head back to East City," he said over his shoulder. Chris nodded. She watched silently as he helped Riza with her coat before something crossed her mind.

"Roy..." Chris called. He looked over to her. "Come here for a second," she said, motioning with her hand. He gave her a puzzled look but walked over to her. "I'm still serious about continuing on the Mustang name," she whispered with a grin. Roy simply rolled his eyes.

"Yeah yeah...We'll get on that... someday," he mumbled, brushing her off with a wave. Riza gave him a quizzical look as he passed her but he ignored it. Opening the front door, he mumbled a quick goodbye before ushering Riza outside and slamming the door behind. Chris smirked. Clearly she had hit a nerve.

_Just don't wait too long, Roy boy_, she thought before going off to explore the rest of her new bar.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:**_ An interesting tidbit I learned while researching for this chapter: According to my Google search, Aerugo is supposed to be modeled after Italy and apparently in Italy public intoxication is a big no-no. I found this to be quite interesting and seeing how Roy likes to have a drink here and there, it's quite possibly that he would do something like that. Any readers from Italy able to confirm or deny this?_


End file.
